LA County Settles Noah Cuatro Case for $20M, Highlighting DCFS Failures
Los Angeles County has agreed to pay $20 million to the family of Noah Cuatro, a 4-year-old boy who was tortured to death by his parents in 2019. The settlement comes after a lengthy legal battle and highlights the failures of the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in protecting Noah.
Noah had been under DCFS supervision since birth due to previous abuse allegations against his mother. Despite this, he remained in his parents' care until his death in 2019. More than a dozen reports of abuse were made to the child abuse hotline and police before Noah's death, but DCFS failed to act swiftly enough to prevent the tragedy.
A Superior Court judge had agreed to remove Noah from his parents after a social worker filed a 26-page request citing evidence of abuse. DCFS was given 10 days to remove Noah and have him seen by a doctor. However, Noah died less than two months later, right before his fifth birthday. An autopsy revealed signs of abuse on his body, contradicting his parents' claim that he had drowned in a swimming pool.
DCFS has since acknowledged its failures in Noah's case and has taken steps to improve its services. The agency has hired thousands of social workers to decrease caseloads and retrained staff on interviewing techniques and the use of forensic exams. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger has called Noah's death a 'heartbreaking tragedy' and has emphasized the need for stronger child welfare measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
